Colby Rasmus and Matt Wieters first players to accept MLB qualfying offers
Houston’s Colby Rasmus, left, and Baltimore’s Matt Wieters are the first players ever to accept qualifying offers to remain with their teams.
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Houston Astros outfielder Colby Rasmus and Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters on Friday became the first two players to accept qualifying offers from their teams in the short history of the contracts, according to multiple reports.
Dodgers left-hander Brett Anderson also later accepted his qualifying offer as well.
Rasmus and Wieters are both 29 years old and will each earn $15.8 million, a figure based on the average of the top 125 player salaries from the 2015 season.
Rasmus hit .238 for Houston last year with 25 home runs and drove in 61 runs. Weiters, who has spent his entire career with Baltimore, hit .267 with eight home runs and 25 RBIs in 75 games last season.
The qualifying offer was introdued four years ago as part of the collective bargaining agreement. Since then 34 qualifying offers have been extended with zero takers. This year, 20 total offers have been made.
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Teams who extend qualifying offers are awarded compensatory draft picks at the end of the first round for each player who declines their offer and signs with another team.
Players have until 2 p.m. PST Friday to accept their qualifying offers, otherwise they become free agents.
Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme
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